Ethyl cellulose (EC, CAS 9004-57-3) is a non-ionic cellulose ether used in pharmaceuticals as a film former, binder and controlled-release matrix former. It is produced by ethoxylation of cellulose hydroxyl groups, yielding a water-insoluble polymer that dissolves in certain organic solvents and forms strong, flexible films.
Ethyl Cellulose 9004-57-3 from TCS INDUSTRIES LIMITED is supplied in defined viscosity grades suitable for film coating, taste masking, microencapsulation and sustained-release formulations. As a coating polymer, EC can be combined with plasticisers and other polymers to create moisture-protective, taste-masking or modified-release film coats. As a matrix former, it can be used in hydrophobic sustained-release tablets or pellets, controlling drug release by diffusion through the polymer network.
Ethyl cellulose is a core component of the TCS
portfolio and is often employed alongside other excipients such as:
- Croscarmellose Sodium – Superdisintegrant for Rapid Tablet Disintegration – when a product includes an uncoated or partially coated immediate-release layer that requires fast disintegration.
- Crospovidone – Cross-Linked PVP Superdisintegrant & Stabilizer – to ensure rapid core disintegration while EC controls release from coated pellets or multi-layer tablets.
- Colloidal Silicon Dioxide – Glidant, Anti-Caking Agent & Adsorbent – improving flow during tableting and capsule filling, especially in high-polymer or sustained-release systems.
Because EC is water-insoluble, it is particularly useful in alcoholic or mixed solvent coating systems and in microencapsulated powders where moisture protection and controlled release are desired. Formulators can fine-tune film permeability by adjusting coating thickness, plasticiser type and blending with other polymers.
With pharmaceutical-grade Ethyl Cellulose 9004-57-3 from TCS INDUSTRIES LIMITED, manufacturers can design robust film-coated, taste-masked and controlled-release dosage forms, supported by a comprehensive excipient toolkit and technical know-how.